In an extremely good and high-scoring sixth round contest at the Showgrounds, Kyneton senior footballers trailed entering the last quarter but rose to defeat Macedon by 16 points on Saturday.
After six rounds, the Tigers now find themselves on top of the Riddell League ladder as a result of a surprise loss by previously unbeaten Riddell.
As one staunch Kyneton supporter said later … “We had to have this win, Macedon beat us twice last season and we just missed the finals.”
Former Essendon and Melbourne star Michael Hibberd played his first game (and possibly last) for Kyneton and lifted the spirits of teammates and supporters. There was a large crowd at the match.
The talented Hibberd certainly justified his inclusion — he works with and is a friend of Tigers’ coach Ethan Foreman — and figured in the best players and showed some of the football that enabled him to play 197 AFL games.
Some overdue rain made conditions at the Showgrounds slippery, and both sides produced some good play-on football.
Macedon superstar forward Jason Cooke showed his class with seven goals and constantly worried the Kyneton defenders. He kicked five the previous Saturday on return from injury.
At half-time, the scores were level at 7.6 apiece, and the Cats opened up a nine-point lead in the third quarter.
Could the Tigers lift? With so much at stake they proved winning belief was strong.
Urged on by the home crowd, the Tigers gradually took control and finished up celebrating an important 16.13 (109) to 14.9 (93) victory.
Prolific ball winner Caleb Fisher, Ryan Pretty with four goals, tireless ruckman Hadyn Smith, Hibberd, Isaac Barassi and Harry Ryan were listed as the Tigers’ best.
Cooke, along with Jamie Barham, Leo Webb, Charlie Ozanne and captain Hamish Govan were named as the Cats’ best.
The defeat makes Macedon’s task of making the finals difficult.
Earlier, Macedon scored a very easy win in the Under 19.5s, and the Cats’ Reserves finished well to win by four points against second placed Kyneton.
Frankie Ellis drives the ball forward as Brad Cooke closes in. 
Ellis fends off an attack from Blake Watson.
ROMSEY TOPPLE HAWKS
At Gilbert Gordon Reserve, fifth-placed Romsey managed to outplay a gallant Woodend-Hesket in the final term to win by 18 points.
It was a battle royal throughout, with murky conditions at times. The Redbacks scored the only two goals in the last term.
Playing coach Nathan Blair led by example and is pleased his side has survived tight games in the past two outings.
The Redbacks are determined to play finals, and being able to win close contests is a priority.
Marcus Stapleton and Tobi Duff-tytler were in good form for the Hawks.
LANCEFIELD MISS OUT
Lancefield’s high hopes of breaking through for an overdue first victory this season against sixth-placed Melton South ebbed away when the visitors proved too strong in the second half.
The final margin was 25 points, with Reuben Schembri, Adam Miles and Riley O’Meara among the Tigers’ best.
The visitors’ Sam Darley is already being touted as a strong Bowen Medal prospect, such is his ball winning ability.
EIGHT FOR PERRI
Wallan’s Matt Perri ran riot up forward with eight goals against Gisborne Giants, who found the classier opposition much harder to deal with than when they broke through for their first ever victory seven days earlier.
In the first half the Giants were competitive, but Wallan eventually took control to win by 75 points.
Perri turned back the clock to display some of the form which made him a century-plus season goalkicker a few years ago.
The Magpies were without former AFL player Jake Carlisle who received two weeks on a striking charge arising from the previous match against Macedon.
